When she turned 14, Emily Dietzman marched into an Air Force recruiting office determined to enlist. She was told to come back when she was older.
Eight years and one enlistment later, she’s still marching — this time across Nebraska, carrying 22 pounds for the service members she’s lost and those still fighting personal battles.
Each mile of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s 10th annual Things They Carry Ruck March is a step through memory, loss, and hope. With every step, Dietzman honors friends and colleagues she lost to suicide while raising awareness for those who are still struggling.
“I’ve had co-workers commit suicide while I was in, and it was really hard,” said Dietzman, a senior psychology major and president of the university’s Student Veterans of America chapter. “To be able to ruck in this knowing that I’m trying to prevent suicide — it’s like I’m standing up for myself and for those who can’t.”
The ruck is organized by the leaders of the UNL Student Veterans of America chapter — Dietzman, Ryan Dietzman, Ben Bentzinger, Christopher Param and Cameron Adkins — with support from Joe Brownell, executive director of the Military and Veteran Success Center. The event includes student veterans, volunteers, family and friends who will deliver the game ball to the Huskers’ Nov. 1 football game against the University of Southern California. Ruck participants will be honored on the field during the game.
Overall, the route covers more than 50 miles, stretching across rural roadways from Omaha’s Baxter Arena to Lincoln’s Memorial Stadium. For many participants, the ruck is a test of physical stamina. For Dietzman, it’s deeply personal.
Dietzman enlisted in the Air Force at 17, joining officially at 18 after graduating high school. She served in the Air Force Security Forces, the branch’s military police unit. She found the work rewarding, but after six years, the weight of putting mission ahead of personal well-being was dragging her down.
“My mental health toward the end of my enlistment was not OK,” Dietzman said. “It was a difficult decision because, at my core, I’ve always wanted to serve in the military. But I knew it was time to take a step back, to focus on my own well-being.”
That process has included pursuing a college degree — a journey that started at the University of Nebraska at Omaha before transferring to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to study psychology. At UNL, Dietzman has leaned on the Military and Veteran Success Center for guidance and community.
Her encounters in the center — from seeking help as a student veteran to volunteering — along with her work through the Student Veterans of America, have given her something she didn’t realize was missing: a sense of belonging.
“I found that I wanted to feel a part of the brotherhood again,” Dietzman said. “In planning this ruck march, it’s been amazing to see the community come together — people expressing interest, wanting to participate, asking how they could help.”
With graduation on the distant horizon in December 2027, Dietzman is already making plans to grow the annual ruck march — both in participation and impact. She envisions events that include fundraising for organizations that support veteran suicide prevention and mental health resources.
“I don’t think I can put into words what this event means to me,” Dietzman said. “You’re out there carrying remembrance and raising awareness, hoping that you are helping veterans in crisis.
“I just want them to realize that they are not alone — that help is available. That is everything.”
